Hi Cathe. WAY off the exercise topic -- but someone mentioned that you do (or used to) train dogs. I have also seen that you have black labs. I am on Long Island and my husband and I are looking for a reputable breeder of black labs. Can you offer any advice? Do you know of anyone who may have a bitch about to have a litter? Any advice would be helpful. We had adopted from NSAL and had an awful - traumatic experience with the black lab/mix we adopted, therefore we would prefer to get a pup from a breeder. My heart couldn't handle putting another dog down.... Thanks for your reply. Please feel free to reply to this or to: [email protected] Thanks again. and Congratulations on your second son!
Dogs
- Thread starter MasonK
- Start date
D
Debra
Guest
Hi Kathleen,
You may want to post your question for Cathe on the "Ask Cathe" forum. She doesn't check this forum as often.
As for finding a breeder, I used a magazine called "Dogs USA" which you can find at the big pet stores if not the major book stores. It has a breeder directory. I also went to a few dog shows to meet breeders, get leads, etc.
Happy hunting.
Debra
You may want to post your question for Cathe on the "Ask Cathe" forum. She doesn't check this forum as often.
As for finding a breeder, I used a magazine called "Dogs USA" which you can find at the big pet stores if not the major book stores. It has a breeder directory. I also went to a few dog shows to meet breeders, get leads, etc.
Happy hunting.
Debra
I would suggest going to the National Lab Breeders club and going to their breeder referral site: http://www.thelabradorclub.com/
The akc web site also has some breeder information, referral and education. You might also want to see if there is a local dog club that you can join and meet some other lab owners and get some recommendations.
When you do meet with breeders, ask what health testing has been done on the grandparents, parents and the SIBLINGS of the parents and any other offspring. Ask for a pedigree and check to make sure all dogs have OFA numbers (screening for hip dysplasia). You may check to see if they x-ray for elbows also (I think labs are prone to elbow dysplasia also, but I'm not sure). I'm not sure what other health ailments are common to labs (all breeds have certain things they are more "prone" to), but whatever they are find out if the breeders have tested for these and what the test results were. Almost all breeds also test for thyroid to make sure thyroid is normal. Go over the pedigree with the breeder, find out which dogs are alive, which ones aren't, what they died of and at what age. You are looking for health and longevity. Look for a dog that comes from lines with grandparents living 12-13 years and living a healthy life.
Find out why they are breeding their bitch to that particular stud dog. What are they looking to obtain from the breeding? How many times has the bitch been bred? How often? How old is the bitch? A bitch normally shouldn't be bred AT LEAST until she is 2 years old, had full medical testing, etc. Same with the stud dog. A bitch normally shouldn't have more than 2 litters, possibly 3 or you are bordering on a "puppymill" type situation. And shouldn't ever be bred back to back heat cycles.
See if you can meet both parents and any offspring of either of the parents. Talk to people who own puppies from the breeder, get referrals from vets and other sources.
Also most reputable breeders will have a waiting list for puppies and puppies already spoken for before the litter is born. It may take some time to find a reputable breeder and get put on a waiting list, but it is well worth the wait to get a mentally sound and physically healthy puppy.
What do the breeders "do" with their dogs? Show, obedience, hunt, agility, field trials, search and rescue, therapy work, etc.? If you are interested any of those events, go to a breeder that does those events and has had success with those events. Look at the "style" of their dogs. Is that what you like? There is great diversity even among breeds as far as "style". Look at the energy levels, etc.
I breed (or am going to) Vizslas. For me to be comfortable and prove to myself that my Vizsla was worthy of breeding: I put a conformation title on her (AKC champion), a hunt title (to prove she can do what she is bred to do), tested her thyroid, x-rayed hips and tested for Von Willdebrands (a bleeding disorder possible in all breeds) and spent 1 year researching her pedigree and finding a stud dog that was compatible and would give me what I was looking for. My focus was showing and hunting. He complimented her in both areas and has great health behind him also.
Basically, do as much research as you can so you can make the best decision. You've already seen how hard it is to have to put a dog down and I've been there myself and NEVER want to have to go through it again, especially if I can narrow the odds by doing research and making sure my dogs come from good, reputable breeders with health and longevity behind them.
Colleen
PS You can check for ofa numbers (hip dyspasia) and results at the ofa web site: http://www.offa.org/ all you have to do is type in part of the dog's name and the breed and it will tell you whether the results were excellent, good, fair, or dysplastic.
The akc web site also has some breeder information, referral and education. You might also want to see if there is a local dog club that you can join and meet some other lab owners and get some recommendations.
When you do meet with breeders, ask what health testing has been done on the grandparents, parents and the SIBLINGS of the parents and any other offspring. Ask for a pedigree and check to make sure all dogs have OFA numbers (screening for hip dysplasia). You may check to see if they x-ray for elbows also (I think labs are prone to elbow dysplasia also, but I'm not sure). I'm not sure what other health ailments are common to labs (all breeds have certain things they are more "prone" to), but whatever they are find out if the breeders have tested for these and what the test results were. Almost all breeds also test for thyroid to make sure thyroid is normal. Go over the pedigree with the breeder, find out which dogs are alive, which ones aren't, what they died of and at what age. You are looking for health and longevity. Look for a dog that comes from lines with grandparents living 12-13 years and living a healthy life.
Find out why they are breeding their bitch to that particular stud dog. What are they looking to obtain from the breeding? How many times has the bitch been bred? How often? How old is the bitch? A bitch normally shouldn't be bred AT LEAST until she is 2 years old, had full medical testing, etc. Same with the stud dog. A bitch normally shouldn't have more than 2 litters, possibly 3 or you are bordering on a "puppymill" type situation. And shouldn't ever be bred back to back heat cycles.
See if you can meet both parents and any offspring of either of the parents. Talk to people who own puppies from the breeder, get referrals from vets and other sources.
Also most reputable breeders will have a waiting list for puppies and puppies already spoken for before the litter is born. It may take some time to find a reputable breeder and get put on a waiting list, but it is well worth the wait to get a mentally sound and physically healthy puppy.
What do the breeders "do" with their dogs? Show, obedience, hunt, agility, field trials, search and rescue, therapy work, etc.? If you are interested any of those events, go to a breeder that does those events and has had success with those events. Look at the "style" of their dogs. Is that what you like? There is great diversity even among breeds as far as "style". Look at the energy levels, etc.
I breed (or am going to) Vizslas. For me to be comfortable and prove to myself that my Vizsla was worthy of breeding: I put a conformation title on her (AKC champion), a hunt title (to prove she can do what she is bred to do), tested her thyroid, x-rayed hips and tested for Von Willdebrands (a bleeding disorder possible in all breeds) and spent 1 year researching her pedigree and finding a stud dog that was compatible and would give me what I was looking for. My focus was showing and hunting. He complimented her in both areas and has great health behind him also.
Basically, do as much research as you can so you can make the best decision. You've already seen how hard it is to have to put a dog down and I've been there myself and NEVER want to have to go through it again, especially if I can narrow the odds by doing research and making sure my dogs come from good, reputable breeders with health and longevity behind them.
Colleen
PS You can check for ofa numbers (hip dyspasia) and results at the ofa web site: http://www.offa.org/ all you have to do is type in part of the dog's name and the breed and it will tell you whether the results were excellent, good, fair, or dysplastic.
DebbieH
Cathlete
Hi Kathleen!
Totally off your subject, but wanted to see how you are doing??? How are classes? I haven't talked to you since you were just getting ready to do your first one. Great to "see" you here again.
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
Totally off your subject, but wanted to see how you are doing??? How are classes? I haven't talked to you since you were just getting ready to do your first one. Great to "see" you here again.
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!